Gen Con Results

The largest event in the history of the DBZ TCG took place at Gen Con – see the full breakdown below!

Gen Con is known as “the best four days in gaming” – and DBZ players showed up in droves to prove this fact! The schedule kicked off in earnest on Thursday, as players milled in for various Sealed events.

The Fusion Format (hosted by Tim Batow) went down on Friday, with Kyle McGrath taking first place. There was a great deal of enthusiasm for this event – kudos to Tim and the community for making it happen! You can find video coverage here.

The main event began on Saturday, and 240 players showed up in an attempt to qualify for Worlds. The most salient takeaway from this event? The sheer amount of viable decks that were on display!

Expected threats


Roshi and Android 13 had seen the most success leading up to Gen Con, though Broly was certainly on everyone’s radar. Cell and Yamcha also remained strong in the early Vengeance metagame, and a handful of other established threats were likely to be present  (such as Gohan Tag Team, Namekian Piccolo, and Adaptive 20).

While Cooler had early success in the format, his recent usage had waned. Similarly, Blue’s prominence in the metagame has declined in recent weeks. However, Blue Protective Cooler was the breakout deck of the tournament, as this consistent/defensive combination was able to vault three players into the Top Cut.


Please allow me to introduce myself

…

Aside from turning to Blue Protective Mastery for relief against the increasingly aggressive meta, the field also adapted to find room for cards like Villainous Power Ball, Shoulder Slam, and Energized Strike.

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

The meta continues to ebb and flow 



As the day wore on, the intensity became palpable. Craftily constructed decks shrugged off hit after hit with massive Endurance counts. Stages were meticulously managed, and players eked out every possible incremental advantage with impressive displays of deft sequencing. Players weaved through brutal combats with maximum efficency, while the amount of level changing (in both directions!) was unprecedented. The competition was a sight to behold, and the ever evolving format reached a high note in these searing rounds of competition!

The field of 240, pre-culling…

At the end of swiss, Justin Shingle emerged as the #1 seed with his undefeated Red Enraged 13 build. You can find his list below, along with the rest of the T16/day 2 players:

• 1. Justin Shingle – Red Enraged 13
• 2. Brand Turley – Red Ruthless Broly
• 3. Frisco Fahs – Namekian Restored Cell (T4 finish)
• 4. Chad Scott – Blue Protective Cooler
• 5. Ryan Lambdin – Blue Protective Cooler
• 6. Kurt Spiess – Red Enraged Cooler
• 7. Jermol Jupiter – Red Enraged Cooler (T2 finish)
• 8. Scott Holbrook – Blue Tag Team 13
• 9. Anthony Eason – Blue Protective Cooler (T8 finish)
• 10. Casey Hansman – Red Enraged 13
• 11. Elmer Walter – Orange Adaptive 20 (T8 finish)
• 12. Tim Batow – Saiyan Empowered Raditz (T8 finish)
• 13. Jonathan Riley – Saiyan Empowered Broly (T4 finish)
• 14. Andrew Pickett – Black Devious Broly
• 15. Shaun Hindman – Orange Adaptive Yamcha (T8 finish)
• 16. Tyler Martin – Saiyan Empowered Broly (Champion)

Though 69 Black decks entered the tournament (highest Style representation), only one made Top Cut. All six Styles were present on Sunday, spread across seven different MPs and eight different Masteries.

The Sunday matches were nothing short of inspired – showcasing both deckbuilding skill and tactical execution to pursue strategies in a given matchup. High value cards like Black Hug Maneuver, Devastating Blow, and Namekian Heel Kick all made their mark – indicative of contemplative, highly interactive combats.

The real MVP.

You can find video coverage of Top Cut matches on the Dragon Ball Radio YouTube channel, courtesy of Sundeep Kutumbaka.

While it was Blue Cooler making waves in Swiss, Red Enraged Cooler (from the same duo that brought you Devious 13 in NY) showed its power in Top Cut.

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…I’m a man of wealth and taste


However, the aristocratic nuance of Cooler met a Broly buzzsaw in the finals – which had utilized Unleashed throughout the weekend to roughly handle all comers.

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Power overwhelming

Tyler Martin squeezed in as the 16th seed, so it was fitting that the deciding play of the tournament was a Saiyan Left Kick for 16 life cards !

16 life cards. Damage is banished. No Endurance. Do not collect $200 for passing Go. 

The kick heard ‘round the world proved too much for even Cooler to recover from, bringing Saiyan into the light – and tossing the future metagame into darkness!

Tyler Martin has also earned the right to create a dream card for future release – be on the lookout!

Saiyan Pride on full display as Tyler Martin gives the Saiyan Style its first major event win! Photo courtesy Sundeep Kutumbaka

Congratulations to Frisco Fahs, Anthony Eason, Jonathan Riley, and Tyler Martin – all have been added to the 2016 World Championship Qualified Player list. The Super Elite rankings have also seen a major shakeup, with Tim Batow taking over the top spot!

Gen Con was an event for the ages, but things only continue to heat up from here. The environment is healthier than ever, and each tournament provides a new opportunity to innovate – and reap the rewards! The following Regionals are up next on the schedule:

• Hollywood, FL: Pre-registration
• Louisville, KY: Pre-registration
• Warren, MI: Pre-registration